Stubborn nudist fined 80 euros

[NakedGary]

ThinkSpain news - Legal & Finance

Stubborn nudist fined 80 euros:

http://www.thinkspain.com/news-spain/13968

[Richi]

Well, NG doesnt give a view either way so we can only assume which side you're on for now.
It sounds as though the naturist in question was clearly doing nothing wrong, just being very defiant, or as the article says "stubborn". People like this are doing good, actually, because they bring a debate to people who hadnt thought about the ridiculous idea of forcing people to wear clothes. I know some of us come down on the side of the law when a public place is involved and probably agree with the judge, who said
"others also have the right not to see him without clothes."

This I agree with of course, who wouldnt? But people did have the freedom not to notice.
They also dont have the freedom not to notice much much worse infringments on personal space and on the senses.
I really hate loud music, like any normal person. But it is impossible to protect people ears from the type of tosser who makes up for lack of personality by playing thumping noise from their manhood substitute. You cant censor people's speach or know when to cover your ears if you are offended by bad language, yet you can look away from naked people: on a painting in a gallery, on holiday, or even in your town centre.

Actually, we all know that the body is/should be acceptable, but the erotic in public (or anywhere) is not.
We all know that the clothed body is used as a weapon of the erotic and for manipulation in advertising] much more; types of suggestive dress are in fact more offensive, as they help contruct a suggestion of the seedy objectification of the body...this cant be done with the natural uncovered form...for it is only with hiding something you make something mysterious...its a cliche but it applies as ever.
In most towns and cities in any of our countries, people wear basically sick* fashion that is much more "offensive" than anything like the honest nude form. This you cant really avoid, but would anyone take it to court just for the argument to be had? Exactly.
*fashion by definition requires a mental disorder: abandoning the self, having no personality and taking a definition of self from a catalogue page, a lie, and following a crowd without independent thought. Fashion makes women objectify themselves yet allows them to be completely asexual, and ill confident while dressing like a cheap hooker.

[Kari P]

This news proves that even in Spain, which has been identified as a country of freedom, you cannot be nude anywhere you want.

[eaglepeakpete]

This news proves that even in Spain, which has been identified as a country of freedom, you cannot be nude anywhere you want.


I suspect the fine was more for refusing to identify himself,as being nude he probably did not have his passport or ID on him.

If he had just been accused of being nude he could have appealed and would have won.

see www.naturismo.org

Click the UK flag. Go to Why be a nudist, then to introduction then to PDF doc and you will see why he was wrong if the fine was just for being nude.

[nacktman]

I agree with eaglepeakpete, it seems the fine was for his refusal to identify himself rather than being nude. The reasons for him being asked to identify himself weren't really spelled out so there is more to it than what is in the blurb - maybe not much but there is more.

[Agde]

We've discussed Spain in other threads, but the story doesn't sound inconsistent with the basic principle of "not illegal but be considerate". If the fellow had been merely nude, there probably wouldn't be a story or, as eaglepeakpete points out, there would be recourse. There must have been something else. Anyway, the midst of the La Mercè festival sounds like a less than auspicious occasion to insist on nudity. It sounds like someone "who habitually walks about the streets of Barcelona" nude without being hassled merely discovered that he was dressed too casually to attend an important traditional celebration in honour of the city's patron saint. :D

[Stu2630]

I'm not one to gloat, but I must confess that I was delighted when I read this story. It does show that the laws in Europe are pretty consistent in that nudity is permitted only where it doesn't offend.

The ruling is unambiguous. It's not about him refusing to identify himself, which the judge didn't mention, but about the fact that he was walking the streets naked - something others could find offensive:


In his ruling the judge "considers that the officers had the authority to order the man to get dressed, and although not punishable under the Penal Code, a council byelaw dictates that 'nobody may undervalue the rights of others, nor offend their dignity'." The judge went on to say that the nudist seems to forget that "others also have the right not to see him without clothes."

Viva España! :D

Stu